Artist Statements

1
Artist Statements

• What do you
• think this is?

2
Artist Statement

• Now, how does your answer compare to one of the
  most common responses I hear that you, the
  artist, are supposed to tell us, the viewer,
  something about your art?

3
Artist Statement

• Defining an artist statement has the same
  benefits as setting a goal
• It tells you if you are headed in the right
  direction.
• If you don't know where you are going, then
  getting there becomes a dicey affair. You could
  end up driving around for hours.
• On the other hand, if you establish where you are
  going, you have a marker for knowing whether or
  not you get there.
• This single step will save you hours of grief.

4
Artist Statement

• It is intended to
• explain,
• justify,
• extend, and/or contextualize
• his or her body of work.

5
Artist Statement

• Artists often write a short (50-100 word) and/or
  a long (500-1000 word) version of the same
  statement, and they may maintain and revise these
  statements throughout their careers.

6
Artist Statement

• So, I repeat an artist statement is what, how,
  and why you do what you do, from your
  perspective.

7
Artist Statement

• A contemporary artist may be required to submit
  the statement in order to tender for commissions
  or apply for schools, residencies, jobs, awards,
  and other forms of institutional support.

8
Artist Statement

• This means that an artist statement is personal,
  as personal as your art.
• It is also honest, in the very same way that
  your art reflects a true expression of your
  being.
• Because an artist statement speaks to the
  relationship between you and your work, it needs
  to be as authentic as your work.
• When done well, the statement and your art
  support each other.

9
Artist Statement
The secret lies in how an artist statement builds
another bridge between the artist and the
audience. An effective statement creates a
personal connection to the artwork and stimulates
our human thirst for "story".
10
Artist Statement

• When hung on a gallery wall, the statement
  becomes an invitation, an explanation, and, often
  indirectly, an element of the installation
  itself.

11
Artist Statement

• Your turn .